CASTELNAUDARY, AUDE: THE GRAND BASSIN ON CANAL DU MIDI

Photo feature - September
17, 2003

View of Castelnaudary
from the Grand Bassin of the Canal du Midi

For hearty appetites, Castelnaudary, once capital of the Lauragais
region, is a good place to be. Its well know for "Cassoulet"
a
tradition
dish
made
of a variety of meats baked with beans - and they do
have a festival to celebrate it.

As a good complement
- a visit to the Grand Bassin, which feeds the five
locks of Saint Roch on the Canal du Midi - provides
so lovely views of the
town,
as
well
as
various boats touring the canal system.

For the more
intrepid, a walk around the old quarter does not go
amiss, with a number of 16th-18th century houses, including
the Présidial, a former law court, constructed on the
orders of the Queen of France